rod blagojevich

Ivanka Trump is sticking up for disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who on Wednesday was sentenced to 14 years in prison on corruption charges. Blagojevich was a contestant on the last season of 'The Celebrity Apprentice,' and during his sentencing, the judge admonished him for appearing on the reality show while he was out on bail.

On 'Good Day New York,' (weekdays, 9AM ET on Fox) Ivanka said the sentence was too harsh. "Fourteen years seems pretty excessive ... that is one stiff penalty. We'll see what happens, but I am definitely thinking of his family at this point," she told Greg Kelly.

The premise of the sketch was that Oliver was in a place called "Ill-in-o-is, a desolate lawless region," and his "reporting" was in the style of a war correspondent who had found himself in a strange and dangerous land.

After doing such things as treating a fast food takeout window as if it was a military checkpoint, Oliver revealed that he'd "arranged a meeting with a notorious former warlord" because "apparently no one knows the region better than him."

While watching the two-hour (read: interminable) debut of 'The Celebrity Apprentice' on Sunday night, I was trying to figure out if Cyndi Lauper is out of this show's league, or vice versa. Maybe I'm thinking about leagues because of all the previews for the new Jay Baruchel movie, but for some reason that's how the question phrased itself in my head. Has Cyndi Lauper really sunk this low?

'The Apprentice' used to be an A-list show when it debuted in 2004. Remember? It was a serious competitive reality show that was nominated for Emmys against shows like 'Survivor' and 'The Amazing Race', and for cinematography -- in other words, the gorgeous New York skyline shots that peppered the episodes. Back then, people watched the show and compared the tasks and the competitors to their own workplace.

"I was thinking how nice it was to be able to be part of this sort of healthy camaraderie between a bunch of guys who are now on the same team," he said. "Coming out of politics and government, it's a whole new experience."

Fired up for a new season of 'The Celebrity Apprentice'? Fourteen celebs -- of varying levels of celebrity-dom -- are working for a bonus of $250,000 to be donated to a charity of their choice. And maybe a chance to spark up a little interest in their careers, too.

Business mogul Donald Trump will do the firing once again, aided by son Donald Trump Jr., daughter Ivanka Trump and long-time adviser George H. Ross on this third season of 'Celebrity Apprentice.' The teams, incidentally, are divided by sex.

The action starts 9 PM ET Sunday on NBC. Before then, we've studied the field and calibrated who the likely winner will be.

The cast for the next edition of Celebrity Apprentice has been officially announced, and...what a weird show this is. I think I mean that in a good way, I'm not sure. It does seem like one of those "so crazy I have to watch it" things (though I won't). Cyndi Lauper going up against Darryl Strawberry? Rod Blagojevich? Sharon Osbourne vs. Bret Michaels? Selita Ebanks vs...wait, who's Selita Ebanks again?

But the name that sticks out to me is Carol Leifer. She's a writer, stand-up comic, and the inspiration for the Elaine Benes character on Seinfeld. Doesn't she seem like the type of person who would dump on reality shows (especially celebrity reality shows) rather than be on one? Then again, even Jerry Seinfeld himself isn't immune from the lure of reality shows. He's producing one that debuts later this year.

Before he becomes The Defendant, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich may become 'The Celebrity Apprentice.' According to The Los Angeles Times, Blagojevich will be allowed to compete in Donald Trump's latest season of 'Celebrity,' within months of a scheduled appearance in federal court.

"Blago" was an 'Apprentice' question mark until confirmation came from NBC today. The coiffed pol was not allowed to compete in NBC's 'I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here' last year, as it would have required Blagojevich -- who is facing corruption charges -- to leave the country (Costa Rica, to be exact). Instead, Patti Blagojevich --merely married to a celebrity, you could say -- became an "I'm a Celebrity ... " contestant and finished fourth.

According to a source close to Blagojevich's team, the former Illinois governor -- who has been accused of trying to sell or trade Barack Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat -- will make an appearance on the show's upcoming ninth season (premiering this spring), although no word yet on whether he will actually compete.

"NBC doesn't comment on casting until there's an official announcement to be made," an NBC spokesperson said.

If you thought Rod Blagojevich was done with television after the I'm a Celebrity debacle, then you don't know Rod.

An unidentified source close to team Blago confirmed that the ousted Illinois governor will compete on the upcoming season of The Celebrity Apprentice.

Of course, NBC wouldn't confirm the info until the network makes an official announcement or maybe it just didn't want to come to terms with the fact that are giving the human spotlight once more chance on TV. I'm sure it's the first one.

It must be odd for someone who has been ridiculed and talked about so much on a talk show to then be on that talk show as a guest. Whether you're Bill Clinton on The Late Show with David Letterman or Rod Blagojevich on The Daily Show last night, it must be weird for both the guest and the host.

In this clip (which Jon Stewart gives a special introduction to because the interview went long and got weird), Jon and Blago talk about a range of issues, starting with his hair. (Unedited interview here.)

[Watch episodes and clips of The Daily Show and other shows at SlashControl.]

Well, you knew NBC would try to find a way to get Rod Blagojevich onto I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here,and they did. Instead of appearing in the flesh (which he legally couldn't), he appeared via Skype to talk to his wife Patti, who is on the show. She also talks to her kids, which makes it clear that the young ones are actually watching this mess. Oh well, at least they don't have to watch Heidi and Spencer anymore.

Now that Saturday Night Live is off the air, what's the fun in former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich doing anything if we can't have it made fun of on "Weekend Update?" The biggest douchebag in the Midwest, and I can say that because I live there, wasn't allowed to join Sanjaya on NBC's summer reality show because of that whole legal matter. So NBC, proving how "FOX-y" they can be, have now signed Mrs. Rod Blagojevich to join I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here this summer.

Now, I support the decision to not allow Rod there because he'd either be taking hits out on fellow celebrities (wait a minute ... Sanjaya will be there) or he'd just disappear altogether. But in an era where getting rejected by a bachelor can make you a "Star" worthy of Dancing, it still boggles my mind that being married to a jackass is enough. We don't know anything about Patti Blagojevich except for her terrible taste in men. Kristen Wiig hasn't even developed an impression of her and now she's going to be on a major summer reality show?

He's continuing to grab any media time he can long after the media forgot how to pronounce his last name by promoting the new I'm a Celebrity...Get Me a New Agent Out of Here. And despite my convictions to the contrary, another part of me wishes he would get more.

Mind you, this is the very dark part of me that giggles when elderly people fall and wishes there was a semi-pro "Scarin' Babies League."